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388473

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Detainees
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo calling for the release of Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL1248
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>Officials from our Embassy in Kinshasa have twice lobbied the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) alongside other EU missions to raise our concerns about the ongoing detentions of Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala. We continue to urge the DRC government to act on the recommendations of its Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the arrests.</p> answering member printed Earl of Courtown question first answered 21/07/2015 14:51:50 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

388474

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Human Rights
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding allegations of unlawful detention and acts of torture by the Congolese intelligence services against activists, political leaders and human rights campaigners following protests in January against the revision of the electoral law and demonstrations in March organised by LUCHA.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL1249
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>We remain deeply concerned by the Congolese authorities’ response to the civil unrest that affected Kinshasa and the wider Democratic Republic of Congo in January, and subsequent peaceful political activity. It is unacceptable to hold the arrested participants in detention for long periods without charge or due legal assistance. We are concerned by reports that their testimony was obtained under duress and that this may be used in legal proceedings against the activists.</p><p>In response, and together with other EU Missions, officials from our Embassy in Kinshasa twice lobbied the Congolese government to voice our concern at the arrest and detention without charge of the activists. Officials also joined other international observers in monitoring court hearings in this case and those of a number of other activists detained in recent months. Officials have stressed to the Congolese authorities that civil society organisations must be allowed to hold workshops on the democratic process without fear of arrest or reprisal, that all legal proceedings must fully respect the international standards of due process and that the right to peaceful demonstration and assembly must be upheld. Our concerns were set out in an EU Heads of Mission press statement issued on 11 February.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl of Courtown question first answered 21/07/2015 15:20:03 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

388475

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Human Rights
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic Congo pressing for an independent, credible, and transparent investigation of the mass grave found in March in Maluka, supported by international investigators and experts.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL1250
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>British Government officials have called upon Congolese judicial officials to properly investigate the mass grave containing over 400 bodies uncovered in Maluku in March.</p><p>We urge the Congolese authorities to work closely with international experts, including from the UN Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and call on them to ensure that a transparent and credible investigation is urgently undertaken. Officials have also encouraged the Congolese government to ensure a thorough response to the public compliant filed on 5 June by the families of 34 victims of disappeared persons.</p><p>On 10 April the EU delegation in Kinshasa made a press statement on behalf of all EU Heads of Mission in Kinshasa reiterating this call for justice.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl of Courtown question first answered 21/07/2015 15:25:07 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

388476

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Human Rights
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the call from Human Rights Watch for an exhumation of the mass grave at Maluka by an international team.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL1251
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>British Government officials have called upon Congolese judicial officials to properly investigate the mass grave containing over 400 bodies uncovered in Maluku in March.</p><p>We urge the Congolese authorities to work closely with international experts, including from the UN Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and call on them to ensure that a transparent and credible investigation is urgently undertaken. Officials have also encouraged the Congolese government to ensure a thorough response to the public compliant filed on 5 June by the families of 34 victims of disappeared persons.</p><p>On 10 April the EU delegation in Kinshasa made a press statement on behalf of all EU Heads of Mission in Kinshasa reiterating this call for justice.</p> answering member printed Earl of Courtown question first answered 21/07/2015 15:25:29 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1064209

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: Trade
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018 and the launch of the SheTrades Commonwealth programme in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, how many of the 2,300 women entrepreneurs that registered and 518 companies that attended capacity building events have subsequently initiated or expanded their international trade to date; and what monitoring systems are in place for the future assessment of the efficacy of that programme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL13856
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>The SheTrades Commonwealth programme has now supported 842 women-owned companies at capacity building and training events. To date, 144 of those companies have consequently participated in trade fairs, subsequently reporting £12.4 million worth of export leads.</p><p>The programme adheres to the Department for International Development's monitoring and evaluation standards. Key indicators are tracked through a robust results framework to ensure the women entrepreneurs we support are more competitive and improve their access to markets, and that the taxpayer is getting value for money.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 05/03/2019 16:02:56 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1064206

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: Trade
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018, what plans there are for the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement to boost intra-Commonwealth trade; what are the expected outcomes of such plans; and when such outcomes are expected to be delivered.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL13853
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK-funded Commonwealth Trade Facilitation Programme is helping member states implement the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The two year programme aims to help developing and least developed countries in the Commonwealth adopt faster and more efficient customs procedures that will in turn reduce the cost of doing business and create a more enabling environment for intra-Commonwealth Trade.</p><p> </p><p>While the Commonwealth Trade Facilitation Programme is due to conclude by April 2020, implementation of the TFA will continue for several more years. The Agreement is unique in that it allows developing and least developed countries to set their own timetable for implementing elements of the agreement: developing countries are required to provide definitive dates for implementation by August 2019, and Least Developed Countries by 2022.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 28/02/2019 17:02:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1064207

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018, when the conclusions of the scoping missions to Eswatini, Tonga and Zambia will be published.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL13854
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>Scoping missions conducted by the Commonwealth Trade Facilitation Programme aim to identify where external technical assistance would enhance member states' capacity to implement the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement. Tailor-made implementation plans have now been developed or are in the process of being developed for seven Commonwealth countries, including Eswatini, Tonga, and Zambia. The outcomes of these audits, assessments and studies are primarily for the use of those governments and are not intended for publication</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 28/02/2019 17:01:51 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1064208

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Africa: Economic Growth
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018, what aspects of economic development in Sierra Leone and Malawi have received technical support; and what was the result of any such support.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL13855
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>Since its launch at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018, the Commonwealth Trade Facilitation Programme has increased the capacity and capability of customs organisations in 18 Commonwealth countries. This in turn facilitates the increase of trade, providing benefits for governments, consumers and producers in these Commonwealth countries. For example:</p><ul><li>In Eswatini, the programme has conducted a post-clearance audit and delivered workshops aimed at creating more efficient and cost effective customs clearance systems at the border;</li><li>In Tonga and Zambia, Time Release Studies (TRS) of customs clearance processes have identified possible areas for systematic efficiencies;</li><li>In Sierra Leone, advanced training has enabled customs officials to more accurately identify the customs value and corresponding rate of duty to be paid on imported goods; and</li><li>In Malawi, workshops have helped improve the recording of information related to different categories of goods to enable the correct collection of customs duties.</li></ul><p>​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 28/02/2019 17:02:43 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1006651

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2018
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: Press Freedom
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the UNESCO Director-General's 2018 Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity which found that 104 journalists were killed in eight Commonwealth countries between 2006 and 2015, and that in none of these cases the perpetrators were brought to justice.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL11431
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling intimidation and violence against journalists wherever it occurs, including in Commonwealth countries, and to challenging impunity for such crimes. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our determination to address this issue on the International Day to End Impunity for Attacks Against Journalists on 2 November, announcing our intention to put the resources of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) behind the cause of media freedom and to hold an international conference on this issue, in 2019. We welcome the attention UNESCO has given to this problem.</p><p>We support the work of the Commonwealth Working Group on Media and Good Governance on Commonwealth principles of freedom of expression and the role of the media in good governance, and their continued efforts to prepare them for consideration at the Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda in 2020. Officials from the FCO and Cabinet Office have offered advice and support to members of the Working Group, most recently on 12 November 2018. The Working Group was given the opportunity to brief all member states on the proposed principles at senior official level, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018. However, there was no consensus amongst member states for the principles to be formally included on Heads' agenda or in their official communiqué. We have discussed the principles with the Commonwealth Secretariat on several occasions since the Heads of Government Meeting. We continue to encourage the Working Group to work with member states and the Secretariat to build consensus towards adoption of the principles.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL11432 HL11433 HL11434 question first answered 27/11/2018 13:38:31 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey

1006652

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2018
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: Press Freedom
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Commonwealth Secretary-General about the Commonwealth Working Group on Media and Good Governance’s 2018 report on Commonwealth principles of freedom of expression and the role of the media in good governance.
	tabling member printed	Lord Chidgey
	uin	HL11432
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling intimidation and violence against journalists wherever it occurs, including in Commonwealth countries, and to challenging impunity for such crimes. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our determination to address this issue on the International Day to End Impunity for Attacks Against Journalists on 2 November, announcing our intention to put the resources of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) behind the cause of media freedom and to hold an international conference on this issue, in 2019. We welcome the attention UNESCO has given to this problem.</p><p>We support the work of the Commonwealth Working Group on Media and Good Governance on Commonwealth principles of freedom of expression and the role of the media in good governance, and their continued efforts to prepare them for consideration at the Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda in 2020. Officials from the FCO and Cabinet Office have offered advice and support to members of the Working Group, most recently on 12 November 2018. The Working Group was given the opportunity to brief all member states on the proposed principles at senior official level, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018. However, there was no consensus amongst member states for the principles to be formally included on Heads' agenda or in their official communiqué. We have discussed the principles with the Commonwealth Secretariat on several occasions since the Heads of Government Meeting. We continue to encourage the Working Group to work with member states and the Secretariat to build consensus towards adoption of the principles.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL11431 HL11433 HL11434 question first answered 27/11/2018 13:38:31 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	50 label Biography information for Lord Chidgey